Dragon Age
by Lady RavenEyes
Summary: What if a very clever wizard found a way to save Cailin at Ostagar and runs into Ailee Cousland as he flees to Lothering? Alistair/Cousland AU.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer - not mine.

This story will, at least at first, follow the human origin story line. But I will be changing some major plot points within in the first few chapter. Let me know what you think.

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Dragon Age

Chapter 1 – Out of the Pot, Into the Fire

"Ah! So _this_ is the promising new Grey Warden recruit I've heard so much about!" Cailin Therin's voice tore Ailee Cousland out of the shocked stupor she had been walking in for the past few days. She looked up, noticing the once mighty fortress for the first time. The king was standing in front of her, smiling as always. Ailee tried to smile back, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Yes, Your Highness," Duncan began, "This is…" But Cailin cut him off.

"No need to stand on formalities, Duncan. I've known Ailee for quite some time." Duncan raised an eyebrow, the only sign of his shock, but said nothing. "Where's Bryce? I would have expected him by now." Cailin asked. He looked about the square as if Ailee's father were about to round a corner with Arl Howe and his men. Ailee felt the same way. But from the eager, expectant look on Cailin's face, she knew that word of what happened had conveniently not reached Ostagar.

"You haven't heard?" Ailee asked. Her voice was only just above a whisper.

"Heard what? Ailee, what's happened?" Worry could be heard in Cailin's usually calm, confident voice. The lips of the nobility, which were so often wagging over nothing, had been silent on the one matter of importance. Ailee had assumed that Cailin would have heard about Arl Howe's treachery at Highever and now that he hadn't she wasn't sure where to begin.

"Howe, he…After Fergus left…" Ailee took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Howe came and said his troops were delayed. Father sent Fergus up ahead with all his men. In the morning Father was supposed to march with Howe and his troops as soon as they arrived. That night we were attacked. Howe, he betrayed us." Ailee's voice wavered as she tried to maintain her composure.

"What happened?" Cailin asked, even though Cailin's eyes betrayed that he had already figured out the answer.

"Father was wounded. We made it to the Great Hall, we thought he would be there. Ser Gareth was holding the doors for us as long as he could. Mother and I ran to the pantry. Father was hurt too badly though and Mother decided to stay with him until the end."

"Did Oriana and Oren…" Cailin didn't finish the question.

"I was woken up by their screams." Ailee's voice broke. The tears which she hadn't yet shed began to pour down her face. A hard look came across Cailin's face which Ailee had never seen there before.

"Once this battle is over I will immediately turn my forces North and march on Highever. Never did I think that Arl Howe would betray us so." Ailee tried to show her gratitude, but only began crying harder. Cailin's face softened. "I'm so sorry, Ailee. Truly I am."

Ailee wasn't quite sure how it happened, but a moment later she was buried in his chest plate, crying. Cailin's arms were wrapped around her small body, made even smaller by the fact that Ailee was still in her nightclothes with Duncan's long cloak draped around her shoulders. Duncan had mentioned stopping at a town to purchase some new armor for Ailee, but she had disagreed. Ailee wasn't ready to face anyone yet and Duncan had wanted to get to Ostagar as quickly as possible, fearing that the battle would begin without him. So they had kept walking, with the idea of finding new armor when they reached Ostagar.

"Come on," Cailin said, thumping Ailee on the back. He seemed to forget that she was not wearing armor, which would have softened the blow somewhat, or that she wasn't Fergus and the force which he put behind it stung. Ailee couldn't help but think back on her mother's words when she found out that her only daughter had convinced her elder brother to teach her how to fight, who in turn convinced his father it was a good idea. It was because of this that Eleanor Cousland always said that her daughter was more comfortable in armor than a dress – which wasn't completely false.

Cailin had quickly changed the subject after that to the upcoming battle. Duncan had chimed in and Ailee knew that they were both trying to interest her in something other than what happened at Highever. It wasn't until Duncan asked Ailee to repeat what he had only just asked her to do that she was snapped completely from her train of thought.

"Oh, um, find this Alistair, I think." Ailee said. Duncan looked at her quizzically for a moment and the nodded his approval.

"Very well. Just know that the Darkspawn aren't as forgiving of a wandering mind."

Ailee only nodded and headed off. Find a Grey Warden named Alistair in a camp full of people dressed in similar looking armor. Suddenly Ailee wished she had been paying attention to what Duncan had said about the Junior Warden.

As she rounded a corner, now thoroughly lost, Ailee was confronted with an angry mage who all but threw her aside in his hurry. Ailee only stared after him, thinking of how no one had ever dared do that at Highever.

"You know, the one good thing about the Blight is how it brings people together." It was a young man in armor who spoke. He had reddish blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

"I know exactly what you mean." Ailee said.

"We can all hold hands and sing. Now that would give the Darkspawn something to think about." Ailee smiled. A curious look crossed Alistair's face. Ailee could feel a blush coming to her cheeks and fervently wished that it wouldn't show. Her she was, a young girl wrapped up in a large black cloak in a camp full of men. Maker only knew what this man thought of her. "Do I know you? Wait, I do know you! You're the new recruit Duncan was talking about. I'm Alistair, by the way, another Grey Warden. But what are you doing in Duncan's cloak? Where's your armor?"

"Ah, yes, about that…" Ailee trailed off. Alistair was watching her expectantly. Whatever Duncan had said in the message he had sent ahead of him to Ostagar must have skipped the part about Highever being attacked. "It's sort of a long a story. One I don't particularly feel like reliving at the moment."

"Right. Shortened version?" Alistair asked hopefully, sounding oddly cheerful.

"My family was betrayed by a friend who sent his army to attack us, Duncan got me out and here I am."

"I'm sorry. That must be why you haven't got any armor." There was sadness in Alistair's voice.

Ailee nodded. "Still have my sword and shield though. Or, rather, the family heirloom sword and shield."

"Right. To the camp merchant then. We'll just have to buy you some new armor. Though it'll never fit as well as your old set." Alistair led Ailee back down the stairs she had just come up, around a corner and down another flight of stairs. Down at the bottom was a man trying much too hard to proposition a women warrior Ailee was sure would give her a run for her money. The woman walked away disgusted.

"What about you, sweetheart?" The man turned to Ailee, openly leering, trying to get a peak at whatever was under the cloak.

"Don't. I'm _not_ in the mood for this." Ailee warned the man, her eyes narrowing.

"I'm sure I'll be able to fulfill a dream or two for you."

Ailee, who had already been at the breaking point, lost what little control she had left. Balling her hand into a fist beneath her cloak, she punched the man square in the nose. His eyes began to tear in pain as he clenched a hand over his bloody – and probably broken – nose. Ailee's eyes widened.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to hurt you." But the man was already gone. Ailee looked sheepishly at Alistair.

"That would be another one of the new recruits. Daveth I think his name is." Ailee's mouth formed a small o. "And I can see why Duncan lent you his cloak." Ailee looked down. The cloak had fallen open to reveal the once white nightgown adorned with lace her mother's seamstress had made for her only the month before. Now it was torn and muddy from the forced march down to Ostagar, not to mention the blood which had stained a large section of the hem. "Maker, are you wounded?" Alistair's voice had genuine worry in it.

"No." Ailee quickly pulled the cloak closed. "It's not mine."

They looked at each other for a long moment. Alistair wasn't sure what to say. Without another word he turned to the merchant who was looking at them quizzically, not wanting to run them off in case either one had come to purchase his wares, but not wanting either one to begin any more brawls in front of his shop.

"A full set of armor please. And… well, whatever it is a woman wears beneath armor." Alistair asked a bit awkwardly. The man began pulling various pieces of armor from the many trunks and stands surrounding him.

"Alistair," Ailee asked. "How am I to pay for all this? I haven't any money."

"Don't worry, m'Lady." The merchant spoke. "His Highness came round himself earlier and told me to send the bill to the palace."

"Wow, really? I knew he liked the Grey Warden's but I didn't know he liked them that much." Alistair said.

"He said to put any of your brother's purchases on the same tab. But, forgive me, I dunno who you or your brother are," the merchant said embarrassedly. "Only way I know you is by your attire."

"Ailee Cousland." Ailee said. "My brother's Fergus Cousland, of Highever. I think Cailin said he and our men were out in the Korcari Wilds, though."

"Really? You are?" Alistair asked, his eyes wide.

"Why? Does that change anything that I'm royalty?" Ailee asked, growing a shrinking into the cloak a bit. She had always been proud of her heritage and family name. Now that Howe had attacked she no longer knew who was friend or enemy, or if any of it really mattered at all. She no longer had lands or money. She was Teyrn in title only, with naught else to her name.

"Of course not." Alistair looked a bit hurt.

"Sorry," Ailee tried to apologize for snapping at him. "I didn't mean to…"

"No, I understand." Before Ailee could ask how he had gathered up the armor, gave a nod to merchant and began heading off to the huge bonfire in the center of camp where Duncan was waiting for them.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Good, you've returned." Duncan said, when he saw Ailee and Alistair coming to the fire. She was wearing new armor now of Dalish make. A long dagger was strapped to one hip. As she came to the fire she picked up a sword and belted the scabbard around her waist. A shield with the Highever coat of arms stood next to it. Ailee threw it over her shoulder and tied it to her back.

"You!" It was the man Ailee had hit earlier. His nose was swollen and turning black and blue. "What're you doing here?"

"Getting orders from our Senior Warden." Ailee responded, sounding much more formal than Alistair had yet heard her. But the formal speech was a good sign to Duncan, even if someone had to get punched and new armor acquired to make her feel better. It was better to have her acting the way he had first seen her on his arrival at Highever. The trauma was wearing off, even if it would never wholly disappear. "Sorry about the nose, by the way. It's Daveth, isn't it?"

"Don't worry, I deserved it." The man said, rubbing his nose absentmindedly.

"Before your Joining," Duncan said, "You must go out into the wilds. I need you to collect three vials of Darkspawn blood. Also you must go find the remnants of an ancient Warden tower which treatises between the Grey Wardens and the different races of Fereldin still remain. I fear we will have to remind the nations of their promises to the Grey Wardens before the end. Understood?"

The other two men only nodded. "Darkspawn blood and treaties, got it." Ailee said.

"Good. Alistair will go with you. You can leave as soon as you are ready." Duncan turned to walk away, but Ailee stopped him. "Duncan? Here's your cloak. And if we're going to the Wilds is there any chance we can look for my brother?"

Duncan sighed. "Child, he is scouting, beyond reach. We do not know where exactly Fergus is and neither do we have the resources or time to send out a search party."

"But he could be in danger!" Ailee said, her voice rising. She was aware of Ser Jory and the other man, whose name she had purposefully forgot, watching her with interest. "What if Howe goes looking for him? He probably thinks I'm dead so I won't be in too much trouble, but Fergus might be."

"Ailee, we do not have time. The King has already promised to send his men to Highever, and I'm sure he won't let his friend wander around the wilds unaware of what's happened to his family. I would suggest taking out your anger on the Darkspawn." Ailee knew that Duncan was correct. She knew that there wasn't time. She knew Cailin would be good on his word. He always was. But she was still worried and needed to hear the words aloud. With that, Duncan turned and walked away. Ailee sighed.

"Ready?" Alistair asked. He was still standing beside her. Ailee hadn't realized he was still there.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Ailee picked up the shield and sword which she had left by the fire on the way in. "Lead on."

* * *

A growl came from the bushes to the parties left. In the semi darkness glowing eyes could be seen looking out on the Warden and his three charges. No sooner had they walked a dozen steps than a large pack of wolves could be seen stalking them from the edges of the swamp. "Stay alert," Alistair said from his place behind Ailee.

Suddenly five or six wolves jumped out at them from the brush. One wolf let out a long howl before joining his brethren in their charge. Ailee drew her sword and held her shield a bit higher. Several more wolves could be seen cresting the hill in front of them. She cast a quick look at the man to her left, trying his hardest not to look frightened and the other at her right who looked downright terrified. Ailee took a step forward, so that she was slightly in front of them.

The words of Ailee's father seemed to ring in her ears. '_Never let your men see your fear. Lead with a fearless façade and you will win every battle._'

Alistair watched as Ailee took a step forward and hit the first wolf to reach her in the face with her shield. She followed through with a swing which took out its throat in a single swipe. Alistair tried to watch the other two recruits as best he could while fighting off the wolves attacking him as well. He needn't have worried though, as the fight was over in just a few minutes.

"Maker!" he heard someone say. Alistair slew the last of the beasts and walked over to where Daveth was standing near Ailee. "I suppose I should be glad I escaped with only a bruised nose."

Ailee, the young woman he had seen not an hour before looking small and vulnerable in only a soiled nightdress and borrowed cloak, had transformed into a warrior he would not want to be on the bad side of. She was wiping off the blood from her sword on the fur of one the wolves that lay dead at her feet. Ailee had slain maybe half the attacking wolves. This was, in part, because she had purposefully placed herself in front of the others upon seeing Ser Jory quaking in his boots. He had done well enough, though, slaying a few of his own.

A groan caught the attention of the party. Alistair walked ahead towards the noise. Ailee jumped lightly over the bodies surrounding her and followed the others.

"Help!" A wounded man was clawing his way over the soggy ground towards Alistair and the others. Alistair bent down and looked over the man quickly. "Who … Grey Wardens?" The man gasped, though it was whether from pain or shock was uncertain.

Hey, you aren't half as dead as you look. What happened?" Alistair asked. Bodies were strewn over the ground. Ailee didn't look at their shields. She didn't want to know if they were her troops or not. She didn't think she could handle that knowledge right now, not when the events at Highever were still so fresh in her mind.

"Attacked. Darkspawn came from the ground. Please, I need to get back to…to camp." The man looked terrified.

"I have some bandages in my pack."

As Alistair bandaged the man Ser Jory began talking to the other two. "Ambushed by Darkspawn, did you hear? A whole battalion of seasoned men killed just like that! Are you sure it's safe out here?"

"This is the Wilds, Jory," Daveth said, "There are barbarians, witches, and giant rats. And that's on a good day. This isn't a good day. 'Course it ain't safe."

"But why were we sent out here then? There's a whole army of darkspawn and here we are traipsing around the Wilds!"

"It's all part of our test, Jory." Ailee said, "Don't worry. We'll be fine."

"Yeah and I suppose that's what those men's captain told them too." Jory had a hand on the pommel of his sword and was looking about them as if Darkspawn were going to pop out from behind the bushes.

"Listen," Alistair said, coming over to the group. Behind him the wounded man limped back towards camp. "We'll be fine. All Grey Warden's can sense darkspawn. I'll have warning if we do get attacked. There's nothing to worry about."

"See? We may get killed, but at least we'll be warned about it first." Daveth's attempt at humor didn't change Jory's mood. He simply gave Daveth a dark look.

"Jory!" Ailee said, getting frustrated. "Facing these things is part of our test. All we've seen are a few wolves so far! What would your training captain say if he saw you now?"

"He'd say his sister could do better than that, that's what. He'd be right too, I saw her bring back the largest bear I've ever seen to Highever for the feast a few months back."

"Wait, did you say Highever?" Ailee looked at him curiously. Thoughts of the hunt for Oren's birthday feast floated back to her. She had tried convincing Oriana to let Oren accompany them, but had received a stern no and promised the youngster to bring back the largest bear she find. Not that she particularly liked bear meat, but Oren would be happy and that was all that really mattered.

"I was born and trained in Highever. Are you from there too? You do look a little familiar."

"I'm Ailee Cousland," Ailee said. Jory's eyes grew wide, in recognition this time instead of fear. Ailee didn't say anything more. Even if she could repeat the story of what happened at Highever she wouldn't in Jory's current state of worry.

"My Lady!" he said, and bowed formally. "I should have recognized you immediately."

"We're equals. No bowing. And it's Ailee, not 'my lady'".

"Yes, my… I mean, Ailee."

"Good. All done?" Ailee asked Alistair. He was shoving the last of the bandages back into his pack. Alistair nodded. "Forward then." Ailee took a few steps and then turned around to face Alistair. "Used to giving the orders, sorry. Alistair, lead on."

Alistair's face broke out into a smile. "That was also an order, just so you know." He said.

"Right. I've got to practice that." Ailee said under her breath.

A little ways forward Alistair stopped and took out his sword. The other's followed suit. Nothing happened for a moment. Ailee couldn't see anything. "What are we looking for?" She asked him as quietly as she could.

"Darkspawn are near."

Ailee looked at him for more of an explanation, but none was given. Not a moment later an arrow whizzed closed by her face. Several bowmen appeared atop a hill. They didn't shoot in unison, but they were good bowmen nonetheless. Ailee held up her shield a bit higher and nearly missed the swordsmen who came at them from round the edge of another ruin.

"Watch it!" Alistair yelled. Ailee wasn't sure who the warning was aimed at. She slashed at the nearest darkspawn and risked a glance to her left. Jory was slashing at the darkspawn with his enormous two handed sword. Next to him the other recruit, who Ailee still refused to address by his full name, stabbed another with his two long daggers. Despite their armor, they were open to the deadly arrows of the darkspawn.

"Take out the archers!" Alistair called out. He was fighting a darkspawn taller than the others and much broader. He hoped Ailee could get up the hill before him because the way it was looking, he would be fighting this one for longer than he wished.

"On it!" Ailee yelled back.

By the time Alistair had slain the last of the beasts on the ground the archers had been taken out. Ailee stood at the top of the hill panting. Alistair feared she had been wounded by the way her shoulders rose and fell, since she had fought the wolves with such ease. Her shield was on the ground near her feet. In her right hand she held her sword and in the right was the dagger they had gotten from the Quartermaster back in camp.

"Little buggers had daggers on them!" She yelled back to the others angrily. "Who said they could be dual-trained? I always thought Darkspawn were roving demons with no minds of their own."

"But they do make all their own armor and weapons. So I guess they have to be at least a little smart. Who said they don't have the mental capacity to learn two sets of skills?" Daveth tried to reason.

"Suppose your right." Ailee admitted. "I just wish I had realized that before I went charging headlong at them."

Alistair handed Jory a vial as he bent down to collect some blood from one of the fallen Darkspawn. Jory did the same. A few moments later Alistair had three vials full of darkspawn blood tucked carefully into his pack. "Right. Now all we need are those treaties Duncan wanted and we can head back."

Ailee joined the others at the bottom of the hill. Alistair brought them back on what appeared to be the remnants of trail long disused. Ominous shapes swung from a make-shift bridge spanning the gap between two hills.

"Poor slobs," Alistair said, irreverently. "Does seem a bit excessive, doesn't it?"

"Maker. Not this. Not them." Ailee had said the words so quietly that Alistair wouldn't have heard her. He looked closer at the bodies swinging slightly in the wind. They were all in armor of the same make, very similar to what Jory was wearing. None had shields, but one man still had a sword, the pommel of which had the same dark blue on the handle as the one on Ailee's hip.

"Hammon."Jory walked a bit closer, shoulders sagging. "They're men from Highever." Jory's voice was quiet. "Must have been attacked on the road. I can't leave Hammon here. Not like this. Can we at least take them down?" Ailee opened her mouth to respond but looked over at Alistair. He was in charge, after all, and no matter how much she wanted to say yes, the call was his to make.

"Alistair, please?" Ailee asked. Her eyes were full of the sadness Alistair had glimpsed back in camp when they had first met.

"Of course. But we can't linger here too long. They may still be about." No one had to ask who 'they' meant.

Jory was already cutting the bonds of the men. Daveth joined him along with Alistair. In a few moments they had lain the bodies of the men by the side of the road. Jory knelt down in prayer next to his fallen friend as Daveth closed the eyes of the other two men..

"You alright to continue?" Alistair asked Jory as he stood.

The man nodded. "I'm ready when you are, Captain."

Ailee was standing a few paces away from the others looking out across the swampland they would be traveling towards. "Ailee?" Jory asked. He said the name awkwardly, so used to the My Lady he had always given when seeing her in passing at Highever. Ailee didn't say anything in return but put hand on the pommel of her sword. Alistair walked forward and stood on Ailee's other side, looking in the direction she was staring. "My Lady?" Jory repeated.

"There's something over in those trees."

Alistair was impressed. She had seen the darkspawn in the bushes almost before he had sensed them. _Please let this one survive._ Alistair prayed to whoever was listening. This one would be a great Warden. Of that, there was no doubt.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Voices floated through the blackness which surrounded Ailee. She tried to speak, but nothing happened. Ailee opened her eyes, trying to blink the fog out of them. Two faces were peering down at her. She blinked a second time and the faces came into focus. Duncan was looking at her with the same calmness as always. Alistair was standing on Ailee's other side, watching her anxiously.

"How do you feel?" Duncan sat back on his heels.

"Bloody wonderful." Ailee answered sarcastically. Her head was pounding. The pain which had wracked her body a few minutes before was beginning to subside. "I was not prepared for that." Alistair put an arm under Ailee's shoulders and helped her into a sitting position.

"Once you are ready, Cailin asked that you join us at the war council." Ailee nodded to Duncan. The older man glanced at Alistair momentarily and then took his leave. Alistair kneeled down next to Ailee.

"Two more deaths. Only one died during my Joining, but it was…horrible." Alistair said truthfully.

"I still can't believe he killed Ser Jory." Ailee glanced over to the place where he fell, but the body was gone. All that was left was a telltale pool of blood. Out of everything that occurred, Duncan's slaying of Ser Jory was that which Ailee had least expected. Sure Duncan was a bit stern and Ailee understood the need for secrecy about the Joining Ritual but Duncan's killing of Jory was something Ailee was not prepared for.

"Ser Jory drew his weapon first. Duncan didn't have much of a choice." Alistair's eyes were sad, not the stern look of a warrior his words were attempting to sound like.

"If I had told him the truth from the beginning. If I had said that Highever was taken and that his wife would have been very lucky to have survived maybe he wouldn't have panicked like that." Ailee said quietly. Her eyes drifted away from Alistair to a place only she could see.

"There isn't any way to know that. You did what you thought was right. Besides, he may not have survived the darkspawn blood anyway."

Ailee nodded but couldn't quiet meet Alistair's concerned eyes. "Anyway I should get down there before either Cailin or Loghain get cranky."

"Right," Alistair said, chuckling. Ailee tried to push herself off the ground and winced in pain. Alistair slipped an arm beneath her shoulders and lifted Ailee to her feet. "It'll wear off soon enough." Alistair told Ailee.

Ailee walked down the stairs slowly. Alistair moved to go and help her, but Ailee only shook her head slightly and continued on by herself. It took her longer than she expected to get to the long table which Cailin, Loghain, Duncan, a bald mage, the Chantry Mother and several generals were standing. Maps and charts of Ostagar and the surrounding land were spread across the table.

"Ah, here she is! I hear congratulations are in order?" Cailin asked Ailee as she joined the men at the table.

"Yes, thank you, Cailin." Ailee couldn't help but smile. Not having participated in the Landsmeet, or many other official dealings not counting the various parties she was required to attend, Ailee wasn't sure if she should call Cailin by his first name, which she was used too, or the more awkward 'Your Highness' or 'Your Majesty' everyone else called him. Loghain didn't seem to call him either of those. But he was Cailin's father in law, so it was to be expected.

There were several other people around the table besides Duncan, Cailin and Loghain. There was a tall man in mages robes with a long staff at his side. He was completely bald and watched the goings on with beady black eyes. Ailee surmised that he must be in charge of the mages which she had seen camped not far from Duncan's enormous bonfire. There was also an older woman there in chantry robes. Ailee guessed she was the Revered Mother. What she was doing at the war council Ailee had no idea but guessed that it was some kind of long standing tradition which no longer had any formal use.

"It is an honor to be in the ranks of the Grey Wardens. You should be proud." Behind Cailin the frown lines on Loghain's face deepened, though Ailee ignored him.

"We do need to look over the battle plans, Your Majesty, if you are done congratulation the Grey Warden."

Cailin sighed. "Yes, yes. Carry on with it then."

Loghain began talking through the battle plans. Ailee walked around the opposite side of Duncan to get a better look at the map Loghain was pointing to as he spoke. Cailin, though he was looking at the map, was clearly not paying any attention to a word Loghain had said. "Cailin! Are you paying attention?" Cailin repeated what Loghain had just said. Duncan watched the exchange with interest. Ailee was staring at the map and missed the rolling of Cailin's eyes.

"Are we really going to put Cailin's troops out in front of the fortress like this? Don't we want to make the troops more defensible?" Loghain only looked at Ailee with a raised eyebrow. "Look, put some archers on the turrets here and bring back the front line here so that these archers can defend the line better."

"Duncan, do all your recruits have the assumption that they have the ability to discuss battle strategies?" Loghain didn't speak to Ailee at all, instead looking past her at Duncan as he spoke.

"Oh, come off it, Loghain." Cailin said, frustration written on his face. "Ailee's been trained as a warrior since Fergus and I managed to convince Bryce it would be a good idea. And don't treat her like you've never seen her before. You know very well who Ailee is. You sit across from the Cousland's at the banquet table during every feast in Denerim."

"Her strategy isn't sound." Loghain yelled at Cailin. "Bryce trained her in combat, not battle tactics. And I you should be relying so heavily on the Grey Warden's either." Loghain's voice had an edge to it that Ailee hadn't ever heard before. She looked at Duncan who raised an eyebrow but said nothing more.

"Loghain, I think you should be wise to remember who is King here." Any mirth that had been in Cailin's voice was gone. The two glared at each. The Revered Mother shifted uncomfortably.

"Well, what does the king command then?" Ailee asked, trying to lighten the mood somewhat.

"I'll send in my best. Alistair and yourself will be the ones to light the beacon and signal Loghain's charge."

"What? I won't be fighting with you?" Ailee looked put out.

"I need someone I can trust to light the beacon. The battle's success hinges on that charge. See? Glory for everyone!" Cailin smiled at Ailee across the table. Despite what he said, Ailee felt the same as when she was little when Cailin and Fergus hadn't let her join in their antics and told her she was too small. Though Cailin was beaming at her and he certainly seemed like he meant what he said about dispersing the glory, Ailee knew that he was doing the same thing now, no matter what he told her.

"You think it wise to place so much trust in the Grey Wardens?" Loghain sneered at Ailee. At least that meant that he was acknowledging her presence now, an improvement from before, though not by much.

"Of course. Besides, I trust family." Cailin smiled at Ailee. Beside him Loghain fumed. "Right. Best get everything settled with the troops then. I expect to celebrate after we beat the darkspawn back once again."

"What? I won't be fighting?" Alistair yelled at Duncan like a child arguing an unfair punishment.

"This is by the King's personal request, Alistair." Duncan reasoned calmly.

"I agree with Alistair. We should be fighting with the Grey Warden's on the front line, not playing torch bearer."

"You will both do as you are told." Duncan sounded strangely like Ailee's father. Something which she didn't particularly need on the eve of battle. The painful memories were too fresh in her mind for these kind of reminders.

"I get it, I get it. But I draw the line at putting on a dress and doing the Remigold at Cailin's whim. Even if it is an order." Alistair was trying to joke but the corners of his mouth were still turned down in a frown.

"I don't know, I'd like to see that." Alistair smiled as Ailee pictured the scene. "Besides, Alistair, it might make a good distraction."

Alistair laughed. "Right. I'll just shimmy down the darkspawn line and you can kill them as they're doubled over laughing." Duncan sighed and shook his head at the two young Wardens. This was going to be a very long night indeed.

* * *

The troops were lined up and ready to march. Cailin was speaking to Duncan and some of the Grey Wardens nearby. The mages had been placed on the edges of the Grey Wardens. They were to even the tide of battle, for the darkspawn also had magic at their hand. But, in truth, they had been placed around Cailin more for protection than anything. An aging mage with gray hair stood beside Radagast. He was surprised when he turned and looked at the face which was so familiar to him.

"Wynne! Why what are you doing here on the front lines? Shouldn't you be back with the other healers?" Even though Wynne was a great mage and one Radagast greatly admired, he coudn't help but feel that his old mentor shouldn't be on the front lines but more protected. Age aside, her skills lay in the magic of healing and not battle.

"I know a thing or two about fighting, Radagast. Besides, I can think of no better place to reach the wounded more quickly." Wynne turned and looked Radagast up and down. "What about you, Radagast? Armor? An Tevinter sword sparking with electricity? I dare say you found what you were looking for at the Tevinter Circle."

Radagast smiled back at her. "Didn't doubt me now, did you, Wynne?" The darkspawn line had advanced. Their features were more hideous than Radagast had expected. If Wynne was not there Radagast feared his courage would have already faltered. But something of the stubborn young man was left in him. He still did not wish his Circle mentor to see him afraid, no matter how terrified he may be.

"No matter how old you get, you will always be cheeky."

And, no matter how old and gray she was, Wynne would always be Wynne.

Somewhere above them a bolt from a darkspawn balista hit the bridge. There were screams as the soldiers let fly arrows and return fire with their own balistas. A body flew from the bridge to land, unmoving just in front of the King. He didn't flinch, just looked down sadly for a moment. He looked up at the Wardens and Guards surrounding him, calling out words of encouragement, saying something about how they were to win the battle.

Radagast put a hand a pocket of his robes. The tiny glass vial was still there. He sighed in relief. No matter how hard he had been praying that he wouldn't have to use it, something about the endless line of darkspawn torches on the hillside made Radagast happy he had found the arcane magic he had been looking for amongst the endless rows of dusty texts in Tevinter.

* * *

"Why are there so many darkspawn here?" Alistair quickly slammed and barred the door to the lower levels of the Tower of Ishal. A mage and a few soldiers moved cautiously about the room, looking for any of the darkspawn who had swarmed both the outer courtyard and lower levels of the tower. They were already late in lighting the beacon and needed to move as quickly as possible. "I thought the scouts said there wouldn't be any before the horde?"

"Weren't we just complaining about not being able to fight with the others?" Alistair threw the last bolt on the door.

"Silver lining to every cloud, right?"

There was a shout from the guards and soon they were fighting again. Room after room were filled with darkspawn. Two or three here and there. Sometimes many more. Ailee began to worry at what they would find in the tower, once they reached the top. But every time she tried not to think of that her mind wandered to what was happening in the battle outside. Every so often they would hear something through the thick stone walls. Always screams and shouts and the sounds of dying.

Soon Ailee found it easier to imagine great monsters above them than what could possibly be happening outside.

Alistair paused, his hand on the latch of another door leading upwards. A deep rumbling growl echoed within, followed by a horrible crunch. The small party looked at each other. The soldiers looked terrified. "It sounds as if a demon were in that room." The mage, Ailee forgot his name, said. "The only time I've ever heard noise like that was in the Fade."

Alistair glanced at Ailee. She nodded. The door flew open as Alistair stormed in, his shield held out protectively in front of him. A great ogre with blue-gray skin and horns larger than Ailee's entire body rose from the floor like a sleeping dragon. Blood and gore dripped from a mouth of sharp teeth. The ogre glared in the company's direction, casting away a half chewed corpse.

Ailee tried to resist the urge to vomit as blood from the ogre's dinner speckled her armor as he charged past her, knocking down one of the guards immediately. He twitched but didn't stand. The mage ran past Ailee to get a safe distance away, followed shortly by two bowmen. Alistair raised his shield higher and charged the beast. It was temporarily bewildered and at who would dare do such a thing. But then a great hand swept the air, looking to knock Alistair from his feet. By this time Ailee had run behind the ogre and stabbed as high as she could reach with both her sword and dagger.

The ogre grunted in pain and stumbled backwards a few steps. Ailee pulled her weapons from the creatures flesh and quickly ducted between its legs to keep from getting squished. Ailee and Alistair danced around the creature taunting it with their weapons, but only getting a few hits in each. The ogre's reach was wide. One good smack was all would take before being laid flat like the guard when they first entered the room.

Finally one of mages spells seemed to take effect. The ogre turned, more angry than wounded it seemed and charged. The poor mage didn't stand a chance. He was skewered by one of the great horns. Blood dripped from his corpse as the beast stood. It shook its head. The dead mage flew across the room before splattering against a wall.

Ailee ran at the beast, hoping to catch it off guard from behind once again. The ogre turned at the last moment and caught Ailee in one great hand. She couldn't move. It's massive fingers were wrapped so tightly around her she could barely wiggle her feet. She tried to call for Alistair, but all the breath was being squeezed from her lungs.

Suddenly Alistair was even with her, sinking his sword into the ogre's neck up to the hilt. It's grip on Ailee loosened as Alistair removed the sword only to sink it into the ogre's fleshy neck again. The ogre staggered across the room. Ailee was tossed aside as the ogre fought for life with its last strength. She hit the wall with a crack. The room darkened and Ailee lost consciousness.

* * *

The beacon had been lit. The fire atop the tower of Ishal burned brightly, even through the driving rain. Surely Loghain had seen it. Seen it, but hadn't charged. Radagast thought that perhaps he was waiting for something. But as more and more darkspawn were attracted to the flame and still no Loghain and his army came to crush from behind, Radagast began to lose hope. The Grey Wardens seemed to be fighting harder.

But soon even they were beginning to fall. The battlefield was going to be overrun. And there was nothing that he could do. Radagast paused for a moment, his ancient sword covered in runes in hand. All around him were the bodies of the fallen, more human than darkspawn. Some weren't quite dead, but would be soon. As Radagast turned his head, his eyes rested on the figure of Wynne kneeling next to a wounded Grey Warden. She must have sensed him for a moment later Wynne had sprung from the ground and turned her staff towards Radagast.

A spell shot past him. Behind Radagast a darkspawn turned to stone. "Don't just stand there gawking, boy. Didn't those Tevinter's teach you anything?" It had been a long time since anyone had called him boy. And an even longer time since he had heard Wynne sound that angry.

Radagast nodded at Wynne and sprinted through the battlefield, knocking back darkspawn who crossed his path as he went. He had to find the King. After all this, all the work and long hours of study in a country far away, he simply couldn't let the King die as Ostagar was lost to the darkspawn. Not while there was still a chance left.

The roar of a great ogre, larger than the others on the battlefield drew Radagast's attention. Beneath his hulking form the figure of Cailin in his golden armor could be seen. Radagast shouted and ran faster towards the king, sending spells as he went. The king didn't seem to hear, but an older Grey Warden who Radagast had seen giving orders earlier did. He scaled the ogre, much more nimbly than Radagast thought his age would allow, and plunged his sword deep within the ogre's chest. King Cailin fell to the ground with a thud.

Radagast dropped to one knee and slid the rest of the way to the king. Cailin was coughing, his face pale and stained with blood. He was alive. But just barely. "My Lord, there's no time to explain but if you want to survive to defeat the darkspawn another day you're going to have to trust me." Cailin glanced at the staff on Radagast's back and then nodded his acceptance.

* * *

There was shouting, screaming and worried voices as Ailee awoke. The tower room swayed dangerously as she picked her head off the floor. She looked about her and found her sword a few feet away. Ailee crawled towards it, not trusting the moving room enough to stand. She felt the handle. Yes, this one was hers. Not that it mattered anyway. At this point one sword was as good as another.

The sound of splintering wood caused Ailee to look up. At the far end of the tower chamber a whole hoard of darkspawn stood. Ailee stood. The room tilted dangerously to the side. Through the fog she saw a man in silver armor hacking at the darkspawn. There was a pile at his feet. The whole wave had been killed.

Ailee blinked again. She knew this man. But her mind was too foggy. He was tall with reddish blonde hair. Darkspawn archers poured into the room. They were lining against the wall, as if about to execute him. Ailee walked forward, only stopping long enough to pick up a fallen darkspawn shield. "You will not kill him."

"Ailee!" The voice of the man called out behind her. The darkspawn archers took their aim. "No!"

It was only upon hearing the no! that Ailee realized the reddish blonde armored man wasn't Maric. But no matter. She knew that voice too. It was friend, though the name escaped her. Her shield caught the first wave of arrows, but her shoulder gave out. The shield clattered to the floor. The archers took aim again. Alistair. His name was Alistair.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The sounds of clashing armor and heavy footsteps mingled with the cries of the dying. Ailee tried not to think of the last few guards in the great hall being led by her childhood friend, Ser Gareth, as they desperately tried to hold off Arl Howe's men. The Arl, a man who had been friends with Bryce Cousland for as long as Ailee could remember, had attacked in the middle of the night while more than three quarters of the guards had marched off to Ostagar. Suddenly a tall, dark haired man grabbed her by the arm and began dragging Ailee away from the fight. She tried desperately to go back towards her mother, holding off a dozen men with her old bow, but the man was too strong. Over and over he repeated the same thing, 'This is not the end. You are destined for greatness.'

Ailee awoke sweating. She had had the same dream twice now, once when she was unconscious in Flemeth's hut and once now on the way to Lothering, where they would decide on their next course of action. Morrigan, the apostate witch of the wilds, was a little ways away from the camp, sleeping soundly. Alistair was asleep a few feet from her, snoring. Ailee lay back down for a few moments, staring at the stars. She sighed, remembering all the times she had done the same with her brother when she was small.

A noise Ailee couldn't quite distinguish came from Ailee's right. She glanced over and saw a pained look on the sleeping Alistair's face. He rolled over and grunted. 'Must be a nightmare,' Ailee thought. 'Seems to be lots of those going around.' She got up, throwing her blanket around her bare arms. All she had was her leggings and a large shirt Alistair had given her since her own was so torn and bloodied from the battle at Ostagar. The armor had been so badly damaged Morrigan had thrown it out. How Alistair had managed to come out of the fight at the top of the tower with fewer wounds than Ailee was a mystery to her.

Her shoulder was still a bit sore from, was it two arrows Morrigan had told her? Her skull had been cracked, but not too badly, she had been reassured. Ailee had to wonder if there was even a 'not to badly' where a cracked skull was concerned. Morrigan nor Alistair had said anything about why her shirt was so incredibly bloodied. But from the multiple holes in both the shirt and her armor it seemed as if an entire battalion of archers had used her for target practice. All Morrigan had said was that the wounds weren't so deep as to be fatal in and of themselves, though the blood loss would have been if not for her mother. Now, though, Ailee was fine, if not sore.

Next to Ailee, Alistair's face contorted as if in pain, or perhaps distress. He made another indistinguishable grunt, tossing.

"Alistair?" she said quietly.

He rolled onto his back again and lay still. An eyelid twitched. Ailee didn't say anything further, but a moment later he opened his eyes. A smile spread across his face."You know, it isn't every day I wake up to a beautiful woman kneeling over me wearing my own clothing." Ailee blushed and wrapped herself tighter in her blanket. Alistair sat up. "Are you actually blushing?" He said, obviously not thinking of letting the matter drop as Ailee had hoped. "I never thought that I would ever see you blush. Why'd you wake me up, by the way? It isn't time to leave yet, is it?"

"No, I… You looked like you were having a nightmare, is all." Ailee said. She was suddenly timid, a feeling that she had been getting often the past few days, but one she was still unaccustomed too. As the daughter of the Bryce Cousland she was used to making decisions and giving orders. Now, though, she was in a part of the country she had never seen before as a new Grey Warden, thrust into leading what was left of the Grey Wardens – all two of them - and, since Fergus was missing, she was the highest ranking of the nobility that hadn't betrayed King Cailin.

Alistair was silent a moment. "Thank you." He said eventually. "I guess you could call it a nightmare." Alistair said the second part softly, so much so that Ailee wasn't sure if she had even been meant to hear.

"What were you dreaming about?"

"Oh you know, the usual. Darkspawn taking over the world, that sort of thing. And what about you? Do you ever sleep?" Alistair was back to his smiling self. All traces of the fear the dream had left him with were gone.

Ailee smiled and sat down next to Alistair. "It's just been one long battle for me. Highever being attacked, trying to sneak past the lines with Duncan, racing all the way to Ostagar as fast as humanly possible to be in time for the battle and then the battle at Ostagar itself. I've lost almost everyone I've ever known. But I'm preaching to the choir, aren't I?" Ailee tried to smile, but Alistair could see the tears welling up in her eyes. "You lost a lot of friends too."

"Come on. As hard as it is, we should both try and get some sleep." Ailee nodded and walked back to her mat, though she knew she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep.

The next day Ailee, Morrigan, and Alistair found themselves in Lothering, a small, once quaint town now full of those fleeing the darkspawn. "Stop right there. This here's a toll – 10 silvers. So pay up." The man who spoke was dirty, not wearing any kind of uniform of a guard but the brown cotton clothing many of the working class wore. And, it seems, Highway Robbers.

Morrigan raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Indeed. And you need several men and a cart blocking the bridge to do this?"

"Well," said a second man, dirtier than the first and much more dim witted, as they were about to find out. "This here isn't really a toll."

The first man sighed, all but rolling his eyes, and whispered to the second, "Yes, they can see that." There was a nervous edge to the man's voice.

"Yes, we can. So kindly move aside, we are in somewhat of a rush." Ailee took a step forward. The thugs moved forward as a group. "Do we really look like people you want to get on the bad side of?" The leader of the gang hesitated, hand on the pommel of his sword. He looked at Alistair, who somehow had managed to repair his armor to a working state and Morrigan with her odd attire and huge staff nervously. The highway robber looked back at Ailee who was much less impressive in leggings and a large white shirt. She drew her sword from her side. "I suggest you leave. Now."

"Right. You heard the woman, men. Clear out!"

The thugs ran around the group, not looking back once. "So, now that we're here and that's cleared out of the way," Alistair began. But Morrigan cut him off.

"So you've decided to rejoin us, have you? Staring at you navel was getting rather dull, I suspect." Alistair glared at Morrigan.

"As I was saying," he tore his eyes off of Morrigan and looked back at Ailee. "We should decide what our next move is."

"Why exactly are you asking me this? Aren't you the senior Warden?" Ailee realized a moment too late that she was only adding fuel to the fire which was Morrigan.

"Yes, I was wondering myself why you defer everything to a Junior Warden." She crossed her arms and looked expectantly at Alistair.

"Well, I don't know what we should do. And besides," he said, motioning towards Ailee, "You've got experience running things and making decisions, you're the daughter of a Teyrn."

"That doesn't mean…" But Morrigan cut off Ailee. "And since the rest of your family is dead that makes you the Teyrna."

Though the idea of becoming the Teyrna had crossed Ailee's mind briefly, she was not at all ready to either admit it or confront the situation of being a Teyrna in title only, that is, if Loghain hadn't declared them all traitors or some such thing, without any lands to speak of. "I'll figure it out later. Come on, I'm hungry. Let's find a pub and have lunch."

"Ailee?" Alistair asked a few minutes later as Morrigan began bartering with a merchant over some trinkets and missmatching armor they had picked up along the way. Ailee hadn't spoken since she suggested food. It was Morrigan who reminded them that they didn't have any money with which to buy food with and set out to 'barter'. Really, though, Morrigan's form of bartering seemed to be trying to intimidate and threaten for the best price.

"You know, it's kind of funny. I had so much money and always took it for granted. Now the only thing I own are my clothes, half of which I borrowed from you or Morrigan and am pawning the dead's possessions for money to buy food. Strange the things life brings you." Ailee was watching the refugee's as spoke in frightened tones of the darkspawn that had been hunting them and the family members who had gone missing. She looked sadder than Alistair had yet seen her.

"You aren't kidding, I was in the Chantry. They were training me to be a Templar."

Ailee tore her eyes away from the little boy and girl playing with a ball and looked at Alistair. "You don't look like the religious sort."

"You're telling me. I was banished to the kitchens to scrub the pots more times than I can remember." Ailee laughed. It was the first time since before the battle Alistair had heard that sound from her. Or from anyone else for that matter. He couldn't help but smile as well. It was good to hear laughter, and if there was one thing Alistair was good at it was making people laugh.

"How did you did you get from being a Templar to a Grey Warden?" Ailee asked. Alistair could practically see the curiosity overcoming her.

"Duncan. He came one day recruiting and here I am. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't … I never would have…"

A pained look came to Alistair's face. Ailee tried to apologize too late. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought him up."

"No, no. It's…It's not your fault. I just…"Alistair struggled to find the right words.

"He was like a father to you. I understand that." The sounds of Morrigan and the merchant yelling threatened to drown everything else out for a moment, but both Alistair and Ailee ignored it.

"I wish I had something of his to remember him by. I know it sounds stupid. But at least you have that sword and shield, if nothing else. I've got nothing of Duncan's like that."

"You have memories, if nothing else." Ailee knew it was not the same, but memories, at least, was one thing that wouldn't be torn away from her.

"I think he was from Highever originally. No family to speak of though."

"He had you."

Alistair didn't respond. After a few moments he looked down at Ailee, surprised to see that she was still there listening to him. He was used to people ignoring him or walking away when he began rambling on. A smile began to break out on the carefree face that Ailee had first met only a few short days earlier. "Yes. I suppose your right. I'd like to have a proper funeral for him, when this is all over. Maybe go to Highever. Make sure he's properly remembered.

"I'll go with you to Highever. Put up a statue or memorial for him and pay myself. As long as you promise to storm the gates with me and drag Arl Howe out by his heels first."

"Now that does sound like a Teyrna." Ailee made a face. Alistair hurried to continue. "But I really appreciate that. Thank you."

The yelling of Morrigan and the merchant reached a new height, almost as loud as the battle they had only just come from. Ailee and Alistair only watched. Sometimes it was best not to get in between Morrigan and her prey. A middle aged man in incredibly dirty armor was walking towards the pair, a staff slung across his back. A large warhound, painted with a fearsome design trotted along next to him. The dog barked suddenly, a short, happy yip and ran towards Ailee. Alistair drew his sword, but Ailee ran forward.

"Hunter!" Ailee dropped down on her knees. The dog skidded to halt in front of her and began licking her face all over. Ailee giggled and pet her war hound.

"This is your pet dog?" Alistair asked incredulously. He had seen the dog near the fire back in Ostagar, but there had been so many war hounds about, and one dog just looked like another to him.

"Yes, this is Hunter." Alistair eyed the dog nervously. His sword was lowered, but not sheathed. "You aren't scared of dogs, are you, Alistair?" Ailee tried her best not to laugh, just in case the answer to her question was a yes.

"What? No, no of course not. I just get nervous when they look like they are about to rip my face off is all."

"Miss, if you would please stop yelling? My head is killing me and I have a busy day ahead of me. Sir, a roll and some ale please." It was the mage who spoke. Alistair and Ailee looked at each other. This man apparently didn't know that brushing off Morrigan was likely to get you turned into a frog, or worse. It was best to steer clear of her when she was angry, which so far, had been most of the time.

"Do you know who I am?" Morrigan said, eyes narrowing. She took her staff, a large tree branch of some type of dark wood, treated until it shined with a polish any servant would kill for.

The mage only looked Morrigan up and down. "I'd say a mage. From the clothing I'm assuming you are an apostate, possibly a witch of the wilds considering where we are, young, beautiful, powerful, but altogether inexperienced with people and magic in the real world. Am I close? I'm usually very close."

Morrigan, for once seemed to be at a loss for words. The merchant backed away and went to some other people, trying to sell his wares. Apparently he had enough of the strange newcomers. The mage only smiled. "Here Rusty." He said. Hunter looked up at Ailee with big, dark eyes asking permission.

"It's okay, boy." The dog bounded over, barked once, turned in a circle and went back to sit at Ailee's feet. The mage followed the dog to Ailee, with Morrigan still staring in disbelief.

"Are you his owner? The dog practically dragged me all the way here. He must have smelled you. I'm Radagast, by the way, of the Circle of Magi."

"Ailee Cousland of the Grey Wardens." Ailee returned the greeting.

"By any chance are you going towards the Circle Tower? It's imperative I reach there as quickly as possible. Unless," he turned towards Morrigan, "You know how to open a gate to the Fade?" Morrigan only arched an eyebrow and folded her arms.

"Why do you need to go into the Fade?" Ailee asked. Radagast looked about warily for anyone who could have been listening in. "Come on, let's go somewhere crowded and I'll tell you."

* * *

The pub was crowded. Refugees and displaced farmers had swarmed the place. Some were sitting at tables with mugs of ale trying to drown their misery. Others had blankets on the floor, trying to get some sleep, or else eyeing the food on other's tables greedily. In the center of the room, however, were a few knights bearing Loghain's crest on their shields. The one who appeared to be their leader walked up to Alistair and drew their swords.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" Ailee asked, unfazed by the weapons.

"You're the Grey Warden's we were looking for. Everyone we've been asking have said they never saw anyone with your descriptions. Seems like we've been lied to boys. You're going to pay for Ostagar." The man's eyes blazed with anger.

"Excuse me?" Alistair said, stepping up next to Ailee.

"You betrayed the King! It's all your fault he's dead!"

"Our fault? Loghain quit the field. He ignored his own plan and left the King and his army to die!"

The other men said nothing. The first lashed out with his sword. Alistair brought up his own just in time. Suddenly it seemed the whole inn was fighting. Loghain's men were more numerous than Ailee's band of travelers, but they were winning nonetheless. Even a patron of the inn, a Sister wearing her chantry robes joined in. She had come up behind the man Ailee was fighting and slit his throat. The fight was soon over, dead bodies strewn about.

"Good. They learned their lesson." The sister said. "I am Leliana."

"Ailee of the Grey Wardens." Ailee said pleasantly.

"Yes, I know. The Maker sent me to help you." A first Ailee though the girl was joking. Yet her face looked serious.

Alistair whispered, "More crazy? I thought we were all full up."

"I know it sounds absolutely insane. But it's true. Your quest is blessed by the Maker himself." Leliana was dead serious. She meant what she said about the Maker, but she was also serious about lending the party her help. And help was something that they sorely needed.

"Well, welcome aboard then, I suppose."

Leliana practically jumped up and down in joy. "Perhaps your skull was cracked worse than Mother thought." Morrigan said under her breath to Ailee.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Later that evening the company traveled away from the village. Ailee had gained a total of three new companions - the mage Hunter the warhound had found who Ailee had learned had been at the battle at Ostagar, Leliana, a sister of the Chantry who was convinced the Maker himself sent her on a mission to help the two Wardens, and a Quanari soldier who had been convicted of murdering a village they had saved from starving to death in a cage. The small camp Alistair, Morrigan and Ailee had shared the night before was now doubled. Morrigan, disliking the crowd of people, had taken her tent and made a fire of her own not too far from the main camp.

A dwarven merchant they had met along the road had also made camp with them. Since they were to be traveling to so many different places, Bodhain and his son, Sandal, had asked Ailee if they minded if the pair travel on the road with the band of warriors. In return for protection the merchant would provide discounted goods for the party. No one minded, besides perhaps, Morrigan, but then again she hardly approved of anything.

"You never told us why you needed Morrigan's help to get into the Fade." Alistair asked Radagast over a simple supper.

"Yes, everything got a bit hectic, didn't it?" Radagast sighed and set his plate aside. "At Ostagar, after the beacon was lit, the battle began going very badly very quickly. We waited for Loghain's charge. But it never came. There was just wave after wave of darkspawn. So many men were dying. There was nothing we could do except retreat. Even that," Radagast was struggling to find the courage to continue. The deaths of his friends was still fresh in his mind.

"I was on the front lines, close by the Grey Wardens. By the Maker, you people are fearless. Then that Ogre showed up. Began decimating the troops. He grabbed Cailan in one hand and began crushing him round the middle. I was occupied with my own foes at the time. It was the Grey Warden who was standing with the King at the beginning of the battle who got to him first. Cailan was thrown to the side while the Grey Warden fought off the Ogre.

"I thought he was dead at first. But the king was still alive, though barely. I tried some simple healing spells, but by that time the field was completely overtaken. I told the King that what I was about to do would save his life so he could fight another day and lead us to victory. So I used this."

From his pack Radagast pulled out a small crystal vile. Inside was a red liquid, which looked like blood. Ailee had never seen anything like it. Radagast held the glass vile carefully. "This is how I saved the King. He is inside here – his spirit, his life force. I only need another mage or two and call him back."

"Wait, I don't understand." Ailee asked. "That vile is King Cailin?"

"It's ancient magic. A Life Gem. I want to get Cailin out as quickly as possible. Pardon me, I must go convince Morrigan to aid me in the proper spellwork. I want this done as quickly as possible."

Radagast ignored the questions Ailee shouted after him. The rest of her companions had their eyes on her, presumably looking for answers which she didn't have to give. "Am I the only one that's confused?" She asked them.

"Life Gem." The large Qunari warrior repeated the words. "I have never heard this word before. What is its meaning?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out ourselves." Ailee told the large man. He only grunted in way of reply and stared into the fire. Raised voices floated to the party from Morrigan's tent.

"From the look of it, it seems like we'll be sitting up all night waiting for something to happen." Leliana, the Chantry sister, told them.

"Yes. May as well turn in, I suppose. There's still a lot of walking ahead of us." Ailee threw her blanket over her, not bothering to take off the armor she had purchased from Bodhain earlier. It was leather and wasn't so uncomfortable that she wouldn't be able to get to sleep. Besides, it was like Alistair had mentioned that morning. Not counting the few days she had spent unconscious in Flemeth's hut, she hadn't actually slept through an entire night since before her brother had marched off towards Ostagar. Right now she probably could sleep through anything.

Ailee was barely awake long enough to hear camp settle down around her. Radagast and Morrigan had quit yelling at each other, at least for the moment. It was during one of these lulls in the yelling at that Ailee fell asleep. But her dreams were anything but peaceful.

Thousands of Darkspawn filled ancient and crumbling halls. They cheered and screeched. Something clouded her vision for a moment, but then Ailee saw it. A huge winged creature. Darkspawn cheered as it swooped overhead. The dragon roared ferociously. The darkspawn raised the torches, a battle cry raising among their countless numbers. Ailee wasn't sure if she screamed or not, but suddenly she was looking at stars instead of a dragon.

"Ailee?"

The voice was Alistair's. He was sitting up, one arm resting against his knee. "It seemed so real…" Ailee said to herself.

"Well, it is real. Sort of." Ailee sat up and looked at Alistair questioningly. Alistair sighed. He didn't want to be the one to have to explain all this. He didn't fully understand it yet himself. But there was fear buried deep in Ailee's eyes, a fear he was growing to realize that she had only let him see. Even back at Ostagar when they first met, she had been vulnerable, not even knowing what to do about acquiring proper armor. But when Ser Jory and Daveth had shown fear she had pushed her feelings aside and literally stepped forward to lead them into the battle. Alistair took a deep breath. He hoped she would take this news well.

After he had explained everything she sat quietly for a moment, taking everything in.

"Oh, you two are up." Radagast said. He looked tired and haggard. Deep circles were under his eyes.

"You look fantastic," Alistair said.

"I can only imagine. I was up all night yelling at Morrigan and then treating Cailin's wounds. I put him in your tent, Ailee, since you were out here."

"You did it?" Ailee asked, trying to not get her hopes up. "He's all right then?"

Radagast nodded. "He's sore and badly bruised, but I think he'll be alright." Ailee got up to look in on Cailin but Radagast put a hand on Ailee's shoulder. "Let him sleep. He's deserved it. Unless you want to explain everything that's happened to him right now?" Ailee nodded and sat back down. Suddenly she didn't want to see Cailin as badly as she thought she did.

"I feel like it did that time I feel out of the tree in front of the palace." Ailee jumped at the voice, scrambling from the fire to the tent she had put up for herself but hadn't used. "Bruised and sore all over, yet strangely proud of myself. Now I'm only waiting for Father to come and shout at me for being reckless." Leliana and Alistair only stared at Cailin over their breakfast, both unsure of what to say. "Where are we, by the way?" He asked them.

"Cailin!" Ailee yelled, scrambling over the sleeping mage with a plate full of breakfast. "Sit down. I don't want any of Radagast's magic to wear off. And eat this. You need your strength and we have to start heading to Redcliff today before anything else happens." Cailin only stood where he was and cocked and eyebrow. Ailee shoved her half eaten plate of food at Cailin who sat gingerly and began eating slowly. "Leliana, start taking the tents down when you're finished. Radagast, you're going to have to get up soon. Sten, go tell Bodhain that we have to make a strategic withdrawal. Alistair," but Ailee didn't have to finish.

"I know. I can sense them too."

"So I guess you're in charge here?" Cailin asked, mouth full of food. Ailee nodded. "By the way, where is here? What happened at the battle? Where are my troops?"

Alistair and Ailee looked at each other for a long moment. "Cailin," Ailee said, "You're really not going to like this."

It felt as if it took forever to explain what happened at the battle and afterwards at Flemeth's and then Lothering. If Alistair hadn't been there filling in the parts Ailee found too difficult to relive, and vice versa, Ailee didn't think she would ever be able to finish the tale. She left out the part about Arl Eamon being sick, which one of his knights they met in Lothering had told them. There would be time enough to tell Cailin on the road. The journey to Redcliff would take a few days at the very least. Cailin stayed quiet, staring into the fire when Alistair and Ailee stopped talking. For once, Ailee couldn't read Cailin's face.

"I need a few moment's for myself."

Cailin got up and walked out of camp. Ailee and Alistair exchanged a worried glance and hurried after him. There were darkspawn about. Both could feel their presence. The King didn't have armor or a sword and was still wounded, despite whatever he thought.

"Cailin, no, it isn't safe!" Ailee yelled. Alistair was faster than her though. By the time Ailee had gotten to the two men two Darkspawn lay dead at Alistair's feet. Cailin looked in shock.

"Pull up camp!" Ailee yelled to the others, sprinting back as quickly as possible. "We have to get out of here!" They all simply stared at Ailee, each paused in doing the tasks she had set them a few moments earlier. "I fear Lothering is lost." She added the last part more quietly.

* * *

"But there isn't a single thing we can do?" Leliana asked for what felt like the hundredth time. She kept looking back over her shoulder at the village. People could be seen in the distance running to and fro, trying to find their families and leave before the darkspawn attacked. The two darkspawn Alistair had killed had been moving ahead of the majority of the horde. The rest hung back, like a dark cloud waiting to poison and kill everything which crossed their path.

"Leliana, we are only seven people, one of which no longer has sword nor armor. We can't possibly defeat an entire battalion of Darkspawn." Ailee glanced behind her to make sure that Cailin was still following them. He was trudging, head down, behind the rest of the group.

"I beg to disagree." The redhead said. "I saw you and Alistair fighting. You two could probably secure the village singlehandedly."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I'm not ready to put that up to the test just yet."

"Ailee." It was Cailin who spoke. "I will not let anymore fall prey to the darkspawn. Not after what happened." Ailee stood silent and watched Cailin. Revenge was burning in his eyes. Ailee hadn't ever seen Cailin that way, and was not sure how to respond. She glanced at Alistair who only looked at her for her orders.

She sighed in frustration. "Alistair, Morrigan come with me. Leliana, Sten, Radagast, stay here and make sure Cailin doesn't follow and Bodhain and Sandal don't come to trouble. And be ready to run." Cailin said nothing, but there was a look of thanks in his eyes. "Come on." Ailee turned and began jogging back to the village.

"This is foolhardy," Morrigan said, running next to Ailee. "There is nothing that can be done to save Lothering."

"I'm not trying to save the town, Morrigan, I'm trying to save its inhabitants."

When they reached Lothering, they found it in a state of panic. People were running about trying to get supplies and find family members. The two Wardens and Witch of the Wilds were more or less ignored by the townsfolk. Ailee walked farther into the town and saw a templar trying to restore order and direct everyone to safety who was being ignored completely by the townspeople.

Ailee ran forward and jumped atop a statue base outside of the Chantry. She grabbed onto Andraste's waist with one hand. Putting two of the fingers into her mouth, Ailee gave a long, shrill whistle. The townsfolk and refugee's stopped, the nearest covering their ears from the shrill sound.

"Everyone stop panicking and listen to me." Ailee spoke in a commanding tone. "Darkspawn are on the path to Lothering, so there isn't much time." Frightened voices began murmuring in the crowd. Ailee raised her voice to talk over them. "If you want safe passage, the Wardens are prepared to give it to you. Morrigan, go to the gates and wait for a sufficient number of people and start heading back to the rest of our companions. Alistair, you'll do the same when there's more." People were already running to the gates, grabbing whatever was near they thought would be useful.

"I'll take the last group. Take only what you can carry. Anything unnecessary is to be left behind. We need to move quickly."

"Ailee." She heard her name shouted and turned towards the source. It was Morrigan. A crowd was surrounding her, looking nervously at each other. "Go!" Ailee responded to the unasked question. She couldn't help smiling. It was the first time Morrigan had called her by her name and not just Warden.

Alistair began shouting directions to the townsfolk, trying to get them to quicken their pace. The darkspawn were nearing. Both could feel it. A group of terrified people were huddled near where Morrigan had been standing. Alistair hurried over, waiting only a few seconds for some stragglers before ushering them out.

By this time, most of the occupants of Lothering were gone. "Templars!" Ailee shouted at the men still guarding the other entrance to town. "There's no more time. We have to go. Now." They looked at their commander a moment before nodding.

"We'll take a group. Don't wait too long yourself." The commander shouted as he ran past Ailee. She looked about, only few people remained. A child stood crying in the middle of the bridge, shouting for his mother. There was a screech. Darkspawn could be seen filing towards the town in a line, looking for easy prey.

"Don't wait for me," Ailee shouted to the townsfolk who were watching her. "Make for the others. And quickly!" They didn't need to be told twice. Ailee jumped off the bridge made for the little boy who hadn't moved. "Come on, sweetie, we need to go."

"But I can't find my mommy. I can't find her anywhere. I need her!" He looked up at her with big brown eyes and a tear streaked face. There was another screech of the darkspawn and heavy, armored footsteps on stone. The darkspawn had made it to the bridge.

"Come on!" Ailee scooped the child up in her left arm, resting him on her hip as she had done with Oren many times. The child screamed as he saw the darkspawn and buried his face into Ailee's shoulder. She ran forward. She wouldn't fight unless it was absolutely necessary.

Alistair directed his group to the front of the train party where a second merchant cart and Morrigan's group were already assembled. They were unusually quiet. Leliana had her daggers drawn and was standing guard over them. Radagast was leaning against his staff, looking haggard, but keeping watching beside Morrigan and the silent Sten nonetheless. Cailin was leaning against Bodhain's cart. Alistair looked behind him and saw a group of templars hurrying towards them. But Ailee was not amongst them. _Where is she?_ he asked himself. He moved forward to meet them.

"Darkspawn are entering the village," one of the templars called to Alistair. "The other Warden was still there when we left."

Alistair could hear the sounds of darkspawn now. The villagers once again began their frightened panic. "Leliana, Bodhain, lead the group onwards. We need to get away from here to a safe village as quickly as possible." The two nodded. Bodhain's cart started moving forward immediately with Cailin and Sandal sitting in the back. Leliana began ushering people forward and trying to keep order. They knew this area best. Alistair entrusted them to lead the villagers away from danger as quickly as possible.

It was then Alistair saw it. Ailee was charging down the path, a little boy on hip. Her sword was drawn in one hand. Darkspawn followed close behind. Behind Ailee one of the thatched roofs in Lothering caught fire sending spirals of smoke into the air. A darkspawn caught up to Ailee and the child. Alistair was afraid it was going to catch her off guard, but Ailee turned and blocked his jab before Alistair could call out a warning. Ailee met the darkspawn's second jab and stabbed it through when a second darkspawn caught up to her.

Ailee brought her sword up to meet the darkspawn's shorter blade. He pressed forward once, twice, and it was then Alistair saw Ailee falling back. Her sword was held lower in her hand, and she was moving her arm from her elbow instead of her shoulder. Ailee sidestepped a charge. Alistair began running once again. Two arrows had pierced Ailee's right shoulder straight through. Even though Morrigan said she was fine, Alistair knew that no amount of magic could regrow muscle overnight. That sword was large and unwieldy for Ailee's smaller frame even when she was in top condition. Running at full speed with a child balanced on one hip and wielding that sword with a sore shoulder was only going to make matters worse.

The sword was knocked from Ailee's hand. She grabbed the shield off her back and blocked the darkspawn's attack, turning her right side into it so as not to put the little boy in danger. Alistair had come around the darkspawn's back and slashed his back. The creature spun around from the force of impact to face Alistair who slit its throat. Ailee was breathing hard. The poor little boy was terrified and crying into Ailee's shoulder.

Ailee began running back to the others who were now leaving Ailee and Alistair behind. So far no more of the darkspawn were following and Alistair wanted to keep it that way. He shouldn't have let her stay behind. Ailee had been so badly hurt at Ostagar when she had run in front of him when the archers entered the room. Alistair knew that she was suffering a cracked skull and concussion at the time and may not even remember doing so, but Alistair was still curious as to why she was defending him so. Perhaps it was because she had just seen her family murdered and simply couldn't endure that again. Yes, that seemed the most likely answer.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Darkspawn were everywhere. They filled every inch of the underground lair, with its high stone walls carved by hands Ailee was fairly certain couldn't have been tainted by the darkspawn blood. They cheered, louder and louder as they marched ever forward. Her vision was clouded for a moment and then Ailee saw it. A wing, huge and leathery, attached to an enormous dragon. It whispered, the words not quite understandable but there just the same. Terror washed over her. Ailee couldn't tell if she was awake or dreaming but either way she needed to get out of there. The dragon roared. The walls shook. The darkspawn seemed to cheer once again.

From the darkness a voice seemed to call to her. She couldn't quite make out what it was saying, but it was safe and warm, not at all like the cold, harsh speech of the darkspawn. The darkspawn spread its wings and took off from its roost once again. As the scaly back cleared her view Ailee found herself looking not at the darkspawn but at stars. Ailee blinked a few times, making certain what she was seeing was real and wasn't only a dream, half afraid that her nightmare had indeed been real.

"It seemed so real..." she trailed off. She was surprised when a voice responded.

"Well, it was real." She propped herself up on an elbow and looked over at Alistair who had just spoken. He was sitting up, hands on his knees, watching her with interest. "Sort of," he added seeing her confused and frightened look. "Don't worry, all new recruits get them. The darkspawn, we can hear them in our dreams. Some of the older Wardens even said they could understand their speech. What you heard was the Archdemon."

"You heard it too?" Ailee asked. She pulled her blanket closer about her shoulders. Alistair smiled.

"I'm a new recruit too, don't forget. Haven't been a Warden more than six months..." Alistair trailed off. Her looked at Ailee for a moment, a dark look coming to his face. He got up and walked over to her mat and sat beside her. "There is one more thing we never got to tell you before the battle." Alistair paused for a moment, watching Ailee. She held her breath, sure Alistair was about to tell her some sort of terrible news.

"The taint is a death sentence. We have thirty years to live. Give or take."

Ailee let her breath out and began laughing. Alistair cocked an eyebrow and openly stared at her. "I was so sure you were going to tell me that we turn into darkspawn eventually or grow fangs or something."

"So this doesn't bother you at all?" Alistair said, astonished. The news had bothered him somewhat when he first learned. But after a few days he had decided that thirty years as a Grey Warden was much better than fifty as a Templar. It wasn't long after that the dreams of darkspawn began including that dragon. And then Duncan had announced that this was indeed a Blight.

"Alistair, I should have died that night in Highever. I almost _did_ die that night in Highever." Ailee shook away the faraway look in her eye and turned back to Alistair, smiling. "Right now thirty more years sounds like a blessing."

There was movement across camp. Someone was limping towards them. As the figure neared the firelight Ailee saw that it was Cailin wrapped in his blanket limping slightly. "I suppose this is the I-Can't-Sleep/Too-Much-On-My-Mind Party?" He sat next to Ailee on her mat.

"You alright?" She asked him. Cailin hadn't been limping earlier, at least not that Ailee had seen. He just smiled and waved a hand dismissively.

"Yes, yes, fine. Just a slight brush with death is all." He smiled at Ailee and Alistair. "What about you two? I saw how the Wardens were when they were together. I lost my army, you lost family."

He was looking at Alistair moreso than Ailee. Alistair watched him for a few seconds, searching Cailin's face for something Ailee couldn't see. "Yes, well." He said stiffly. "Duncan...Duncan will be remembered." Alistair didn't sound very convinced and quickly looked at Ailee for support.

"By the Wardens and Ferelden alike." Ailee tried to smile reassuringly at him. Alistair half grinned back. He put his hands on his knees and stared into the fire. Cailin lay back and looked up at the stars. He smiled softly to himself.

"I guess you and Fergus laid out and watched the stars like this every night, and not just when you were in Denerim." It was more of a statement than a question. Ailee laid back next to Cailin in the grass. The stars were the same as always, twinkling down on them from the heavens, oblivious to the plight of the earth.

"Every night we could when we were young. Though after Fergus met Oriana he'd take her stargazing instead. Father would come out with me sometimes then." Ailee gave a heavy sigh, making Alistair turn back to watch her. She wasn't smiling anymore, and whatever she saw definitely wasn't the stars overhead.

Alistair laid back next to Ailee. He had never really stargazed as a boy, not often at least. As he looked up he realized why it was that Ailee loved it so. There had to be thousands upon thousands of stars shining down on them with an etheral light. As he watched they began to take shape, becoming more than individual dots in the sky. Lions and dragons and beautiful women seemed to take form, making Alistair wonder if the entire thing had been enchanted in some long ago time by a powerful mage.

"I suppose this is what it feels like, yes?" Cailin questioned. "To lay out under the stars with family, without a care in the world."

Alistair turned towards Ailee. She glanced at Cailin, then at Alistair, then back Cailin. "Yes, sort of." She said. Cailin smiled and went back to looking at the stars. Ailee put her arms behind her head and did the same. But for some reason Alistair wasn't able to smile like that. For some reason he didn't like the sound of being family to Ailee. She must have sensed him watching her for she turned back to him.

"What about you, Alistair? Did you ever go stargazing when you were young?" She blinked up at him so innocently that Alistair felt almost guilty at blanching at the question. Maker there were too many questions that would sprout from that one question. Ones that under normal circumstances he wouldn't want to answer. But with Cailin right there he wasn't sure how to respond at all.

"My mother died when I was born. All I had of hers was a locket. But that broke a long time ago, when I learned that Arl Eamon, who raised me, was sending me off to the Chantry to become a Templar. Stupid, stupid thing to do." He said. Ailee's eyes softened.

"What about your father?" she asked. Alistair looked back at the stars, not really wanting to look at her, and definitely not Cailin.

"I never knew him."

Ailee propped herself up on an elbow trying to get a better look at Alistair's face. Part of Alistair didn't mind - even liked it. The other part didn't want her knowing his past at any cost. Maker she was so bloody perceptive, at least on the battlefield. And Alistair was sure that ability wasn't just a sometimes thing. "I'm sure your father would have wanted to know you, though." Alistair knew Ailee just wanted to make him feel better, but she wasn't exactly helping the situation. He sighed but said nothing. Ailee continued to watch Alistair, growing a bit worried about him.

"I'm a bastard, Ailee," he said. "It's more complicated than that."

"No it's not." Alistair started at Cailin's voice. He looked at him through the crook in Ailee's arm. Cailin wasn't looking at Alistair but the stars. "No one likes their family being separated. He would have wanted to know you." Cailin turned to Alistair and smiled at him through the crook in Ailee's arm, his face carefree. Alistair wasn't sure how to respond. He had always assumed that Cailin would have hated him, Alistair being a threat to the crown and all. At least that was the feeling that he got from the nobility.

Cailin was still watching Alistair waiting for his reaction. Alistair's face dropped the harsh, almost frightened look it had. He smiled at Cailin awkwardly, not really knowing how to show his gratitude to Cailin for saying that. It meant more to Alistair than he would have like to admit.

Ailee looked from Alistair to Cailin and back again. Neither one said anything, instead sharing that secret grin. "Fine then, keep your secrets." She said, lowering herself back to her mat.

"What secrets?" Cailin said, looking bewildered. He looked at Alistair, who shrugged. So that meant Cailin had assumed Ailee knew about Alistair as well.

Ailee just shook her head at the two and laughed. She was too tired to pursue the matter. Pulling her blanket up higher she looked back at the stars and let sleep wash over her. Cailin was soon snoring to Ailee's left. She drifted off to sleep soon after. Alistair lay awake, trying to figure out what had just happened between Cailin and he. But he was exhausted from the march from Lothering and fear of that dream he and Ailee both had.

* * *

"Aww, look how adorable they are." Leliana said, sitting near the fire the next morning. Radagast looked over at the three splayed out on the grass where they had fallen asleep the night before. Ailee had curled up on her side, facing Alistair. Alistair was on his back and had stolen more than half of Ailee's blanket during the night. Cailin was laying on his back with his mouth open, snoring loudly.

"I don't know if you can exactly call Cailin adorable. I've fought darkspawn who made less noise." Across camp Morrigan was standing with her staff planted in the ground next to her, arms folded. "Why good morning little apostate," Radagast called to her. "What do you look so happy about this morning?"

"Do we plan on ever moving this morning or are we to stay her and babysit these refugees day after day."

"Morrigan, we only rescued them yesterday. I'm sure that we can find a village for them to stay at, at least temporarily." Leliana said, trying to calm the witch. No one was ready for Morrigan this early in the morning.

"Wonderful. Not only to we have a Blight to quell, but we also get to play watchdog to a herd of frightened sheep." And with that Morrigan walked back into the woods muttering to herself.

Radagast sighed. "Good to know she's happy this morning. How far are we from Redcliff, anyways?"

The answer came from across camp. "Shouldn't be more than a day now, I'd venture." Cailin had rose, yawning. He strolled over to Leliana and Radagast. "Morning. Radagast, my friend, I think I pulled something last night. You wouldn't mind..."

Radagast shook his head. He had taken care of bad patients before but Radagast had the feeling that Cailin was going to take the cake of worst of all time. It had only been two days and it sounded like Cailin had restrained a muscle in his leg with his refusal to stay put on Bodhain's wagon. "Come on. I'll set it right in a tick."

Alistair stretched and opened his eyes. He looked to his right and saw Ailee curled up beside him. She was sleeping peacefully, despite the noise around camp. It sounded like Bodhain was rounding up all the refugees. Sten was trying to pull up all the tents and put out the fires. Leliana was sitting nearby humming to herself. Alistair watched Ailee sigh in her sleep and curl closer to him. He smiled to himself. A piece of dark hair fell over Ailee's eyes. Alistair felt the sudden compulsion to reach out and tuck it behind her ears.

But no. What if she woke up? That would more than a little awkward. But still... Alistair found himself reaching out towards Ailee despite his fear. he brushed his fingers lightly across her skin, tucking the loose strand of hair safely behind her ear. He smiled at her sleeping form. She hadn't woken up after all.

"You might want to get her up. We have to pull out soon according to Sten. And as that's been the first thing I've ever heard him say I think we should listen to him." Cailin sat down next to Leliana. He turned his face towards Alistair, away from Leliana as he winced. Cailin took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"You sure you're alright?" Alistair asked. He was beginning to get worried about Cailin. Yesterday he hadn't shown signs of being in pain like this. Of course Cailin had been moving around more this morning than he had been nearly all of yesterday. Leliana rose and moved to help Radagast distribute breakfast to the masses.

Cailin half smiled at Alistair. "I don't want them to see. I'm still their King, after all." Cailin rubbed his side gingerly. "Let me tell you, death by being squeezed round the middle by an ogre isn't as funny now as it was the first time Teagan told me that story."

"The one about the Valiant Knight?" Alistair asked. "I always thought the Knight popping like a bubble was a bit ... gruesome."

"Yes... Well... Teagan did like trying to scare the pants off of me when I was young." Cailin scratched his chin. "I imagine from the way Eamon would yell at Teagan it was the same way with you."

There were footsteps and both men stayed silent. Radagast walked towards them and paused. "Well don't you lot look raring to go. Quick, look productive. Morrigan's on her way back."

* * *

"Umm, can I talk to you for a minute?" Alistair asked Ailee as they walked towards the bridge leading to Redcliff. The refugees had found shelter at a village of a kind minor Bann's not far from Redcliff.

"Sure," Ailee said. She stepped to the side, allowing the rest of their companions to pass. Cailin walked by, arching an eyebrow at Alistair. Alistair bit his lip unconsciously. Cailin smiled and mouthed what looked like 'good luck,' which didn't booster Alistair's confidence level. "What is it?" Ailee asked when Alistair didn't say anything.

"Umm...You know how I said that Arl Eamon raised me last night?" Ailee nodded, looking up at Alistair innocently. "Well... I ... that's cause..." Alistair stuttered. He sighed and rubbed a hand through his hair. Alistair tried again. "Maric was my father," he said bluntly.

"I knew you and Cailin were hiding something from me!" Ailee said, happy she figured out at least that much the night before.

"Oh, no, no please don't think that. I wasn't trying to hide anything from you, Ailee. I just," he paused again, not sure how to put his feelings into words. Ailee waited for Alistair to realize that she had meant that jokingly, but he didn't seem to be taking the hint at all. "I thought you already knew when we met and then when you didn't ... It just seemed too good to be true. You accepted me as just Alistair. Not the bastard son of a King or a want-to-be Templar. I just ... didn't want that to end."

Ailee was trying her best not to smile. She knew it took Alistair a lot to admit that, but part of Ailee already knew. The similarities between Cailin and Alistair, how she had mistaken Alistair for Maric in the Tower of Ishal. It all fit together, especially now when she remembered back to her childhood, how Cailin would always have a wistful look in his eye when he watched Fergus and her together and didn't think either of them had noticed him.

"And...your smiling?" Alistair said, confused. "Why are you smiling like that?"

"So," Ailee said, not being able to hold her tongue anymore. "You aren't just a bastard, but a royal bastard?"

Alistair's face lit up. "Hey, that's a great line. I should use that more often." But the smile began to fade. "This doesn't change anything between us, does it?"

"Oh, Alistair," Ailee took one of his hands in his. "When we met I was in a nightgown and covered in blood. And you're worried about what _I'll_ think of _you_?" she laughed. Ailee looked at the ground a minute, dropping his hand. She opened her mouth to say something but closed it again. "Thank you," she said finally, "For being you and not some other Grey Warden. I wouldn't know what to do if ..."

"Ailee, Alistair, we have a problem!"

Cailin's voice broke the moment. The two turned to see his worried face looking anxiously at them from the bridge. Ailee turned and ran towards him. Alistair cursed silently to himself. He was starting to understand what people meant about siblings and how they always tended to spoil the moment.


End file.
